Race 11 out of 36
at Richmond International Raceway - 3/4 mile D shaped paved oval - 400 laps for 300 miles
This Week's Schedule: (All times Eastern)
Friday, May 3rd
11:20PM - 1:20PM Practice
3:05PM - Qualifying (two laps, all positions)
4:45PM - 5:30PM Second Practice
6:15PM - 7:00PM Happy Hour
Saturday, May 4th
7:00PM Start of the Pontiac Excitement 400
Another installment of "short track racin" this week at Richmond for this season's first night race. While Kurt Busch surprised everyone with his win at Bristol earlier this year, there shouldn't, and I emphasize "shouldn't", be any real major surprises this week. The last few winners here have all had a good history or both running good here at Richmond, and doing well at other short tracks. One thing everyone should keep an ear out for, is all this talk about Richmond being a "one groove" track this year due to the sealer put down on the track. This could make things very interesting without the use of that second groove up the track. Might have to do a lot of passing in the pits again, which is very tough to handicap. We'll have to see how the drivers react.
The early drivers to watch:
2 R. Wallace -
Another top 10 finish for Rusy this past weekend. He's running too much up front not to win a race soon. Finishes of 5th and 3rd here last year could mean this is his weekend. He has also qualified on the front row in 3 out of the last 4 races here, (5th position in the other race), so getting any kind of value should be difficult after qualifying.
5 T. Labonte -
Let's not look at this veteran to win the race, but let's keep an eye on him for value in matchups. He's had some decent runs this year, and could very easily get himself a top 10 finish this weeked.
6 M. Martin -
Martin has been very inconsistent here lately, but his current form leads me to really believe he will be up front again this week. He was on the pole in this race last year, but finished only 13th. He should really improve on that position this week.
8 D. Earnhardt, Jr. -
California was not the kind of race this team was looking for. Never really in it at any point, and it only got worse when 29 spun him. He says his ankle will not be a problem, but there is a lot of gasing/breaking here. He's been good in the past, but I'm going to have to get some real value to include him with the uncertainty of his injury.
17 M. Kenseth -
This guy really disappointed me last week, but with both his runs at Bristol and Martinsville this year combined with the pit crew possibly being even more important than they usually are this week, I will take a look at this team to have a nice top 5 run.
18 B. Labonte -
Figuring this team out is like trying to figure out who Cybill is going to be today. So let's see. Always been good on superspeedways, and very average on short tracks. But hold on.......it's 2002, so let's reverse that completely. Two top 5's w/ one win at Martinsville. I guess 18 should run well this week right? If nothing else, he should have his teammate help with the setup.
20 T. Stewart -
Let's cut and paste last week's comment on this team: "Just when Tony is ready to attack the top 3 in the standings, he manages a bad finish. He won't have a bad finish this week. Top 5 at the least." Nice call there. But it's impossible to handicap engine troubles, but Joe Gibbs Racing should not have as many problems as they have been. Dare I say that "he should be in the top 5 at least" again? I will. He is the favorite for this race in my opinion. And if you find 8-1 Myron, I'll post up there too.
24 J. Gordon -
This team had a good run again, but like this entire year has been going, they found a way to finish w/ a mediocre position (for this teams' standards). I will not make a wager on this team to win until they show me they can close the deal at the end. It's even tough to bet the 24 in matchups lately.
28 R. Rudd -
Here is the driver w/ the most value this week. This team has been tremendous the last 6 races, and they come to a track that has seen Rudd get himself 4 top 10's and 3 top 5's (including the win here last fall) in the last 4 races. He will be one of the drivers I wager on.
29 K. Harvick -
Here is another team I expect will turn things around soon.....but I could go broke before they do. Luckily, I haven't wagered on them since Bristol I think. Let's keep an eye out on him for this week. He's a good short track driver, so if his odds are good enough, I'll have to take a look.
40 S. Marlin -
Another disappointing day for this team last week........and they still finished 7th. I am far from including him in the win set this week, but I won't be afraid to pull the trigger on a matchup someone puts up because of the belief that he's a poor short track driver.
41 J. Spencer -
Had a great run at Bristol. Was running well at Martinsville until he decided to run into the wall and Ricky Craven a bunch of times. His odds will be good. I'll keep an eye on him.
48 J. Johnson -
I just can't include a rookie at a short track off a win last week. But this is no ordinary rookie and ordinary team. Without any mechanical problems, I will have to stop being surprised if he gets another top 10.
88 D. Jarrett -
Do not be surprised to see this team and the 28 team battling for it all day. He loves Richmond, and this team seems to be getting all together since Parrott resumed his crew chief duties.
97 K. Busch -
This is based on current form only. Just because I don't think he will win another short track race this year, doesn't mean that I throw him out completely. This team is running too much up front everywhere it seems like.
99 J. Burton -
Did he race last week? I swear that I never saw or heard of him. But I do like his consistency here and will look at him in matchups for sure. Odds will have to be in the 20's for me to think about betting him to win though.
Basically, I think it will be between both Yates guys and the 20 team. The only problem is that those odds are just not that good at this point and the winner of the last 5 Richmond races has come from 9th, 7th, 13th, 5th, and 2nd, so waiting hoping that they qualify poorly is a catch-22.
Time to do some shopping and see if anything is worth a pre-qualifying wager
Any input and opinions?
GLTA
at Richmond International Raceway - 3/4 mile D shaped paved oval - 400 laps for 300 miles
This Week's Schedule: (All times Eastern)
Friday, May 3rd
11:20PM - 1:20PM Practice
3:05PM - Qualifying (two laps, all positions)
4:45PM - 5:30PM Second Practice
6:15PM - 7:00PM Happy Hour
Saturday, May 4th
7:00PM Start of the Pontiac Excitement 400
Another installment of "short track racin" this week at Richmond for this season's first night race. While Kurt Busch surprised everyone with his win at Bristol earlier this year, there shouldn't, and I emphasize "shouldn't", be any real major surprises this week. The last few winners here have all had a good history or both running good here at Richmond, and doing well at other short tracks. One thing everyone should keep an ear out for, is all this talk about Richmond being a "one groove" track this year due to the sealer put down on the track. This could make things very interesting without the use of that second groove up the track. Might have to do a lot of passing in the pits again, which is very tough to handicap. We'll have to see how the drivers react.
The early drivers to watch:
2 R. Wallace -
Another top 10 finish for Rusy this past weekend. He's running too much up front not to win a race soon. Finishes of 5th and 3rd here last year could mean this is his weekend. He has also qualified on the front row in 3 out of the last 4 races here, (5th position in the other race), so getting any kind of value should be difficult after qualifying.
5 T. Labonte -
Let's not look at this veteran to win the race, but let's keep an eye on him for value in matchups. He's had some decent runs this year, and could very easily get himself a top 10 finish this weeked.
6 M. Martin -
Martin has been very inconsistent here lately, but his current form leads me to really believe he will be up front again this week. He was on the pole in this race last year, but finished only 13th. He should really improve on that position this week.
8 D. Earnhardt, Jr. -
California was not the kind of race this team was looking for. Never really in it at any point, and it only got worse when 29 spun him. He says his ankle will not be a problem, but there is a lot of gasing/breaking here. He's been good in the past, but I'm going to have to get some real value to include him with the uncertainty of his injury.
17 M. Kenseth -
This guy really disappointed me last week, but with both his runs at Bristol and Martinsville this year combined with the pit crew possibly being even more important than they usually are this week, I will take a look at this team to have a nice top 5 run.
18 B. Labonte -
Figuring this team out is like trying to figure out who Cybill is going to be today. So let's see. Always been good on superspeedways, and very average on short tracks. But hold on.......it's 2002, so let's reverse that completely. Two top 5's w/ one win at Martinsville. I guess 18 should run well this week right? If nothing else, he should have his teammate help with the setup.
20 T. Stewart -
Let's cut and paste last week's comment on this team: "Just when Tony is ready to attack the top 3 in the standings, he manages a bad finish. He won't have a bad finish this week. Top 5 at the least." Nice call there. But it's impossible to handicap engine troubles, but Joe Gibbs Racing should not have as many problems as they have been. Dare I say that "he should be in the top 5 at least" again? I will. He is the favorite for this race in my opinion. And if you find 8-1 Myron, I'll post up there too.
24 J. Gordon -
This team had a good run again, but like this entire year has been going, they found a way to finish w/ a mediocre position (for this teams' standards). I will not make a wager on this team to win until they show me they can close the deal at the end. It's even tough to bet the 24 in matchups lately.
28 R. Rudd -
Here is the driver w/ the most value this week. This team has been tremendous the last 6 races, and they come to a track that has seen Rudd get himself 4 top 10's and 3 top 5's (including the win here last fall) in the last 4 races. He will be one of the drivers I wager on.
29 K. Harvick -
Here is another team I expect will turn things around soon.....but I could go broke before they do. Luckily, I haven't wagered on them since Bristol I think. Let's keep an eye out on him for this week. He's a good short track driver, so if his odds are good enough, I'll have to take a look.
40 S. Marlin -
Another disappointing day for this team last week........and they still finished 7th. I am far from including him in the win set this week, but I won't be afraid to pull the trigger on a matchup someone puts up because of the belief that he's a poor short track driver.
41 J. Spencer -
Had a great run at Bristol. Was running well at Martinsville until he decided to run into the wall and Ricky Craven a bunch of times. His odds will be good. I'll keep an eye on him.
48 J. Johnson -
I just can't include a rookie at a short track off a win last week. But this is no ordinary rookie and ordinary team. Without any mechanical problems, I will have to stop being surprised if he gets another top 10.
88 D. Jarrett -
Do not be surprised to see this team and the 28 team battling for it all day. He loves Richmond, and this team seems to be getting all together since Parrott resumed his crew chief duties.
97 K. Busch -
This is based on current form only. Just because I don't think he will win another short track race this year, doesn't mean that I throw him out completely. This team is running too much up front everywhere it seems like.
99 J. Burton -
Did he race last week? I swear that I never saw or heard of him. But I do like his consistency here and will look at him in matchups for sure. Odds will have to be in the 20's for me to think about betting him to win though.
Basically, I think it will be between both Yates guys and the 20 team. The only problem is that those odds are just not that good at this point and the winner of the last 5 Richmond races has come from 9th, 7th, 13th, 5th, and 2nd, so waiting hoping that they qualify poorly is a catch-22.
Time to do some shopping and see if anything is worth a pre-qualifying wager
Any input and opinions?
GLTA
